Hello Newman (Civic Fellow)

PARAMUS, N.J. – Campus Compact, a national coalition of 1,100 colleges and universities dedicated to campus-based civic engagement, has named Bergen Community College student Isaac Reyes a 2017 Newman Civic Fellow.

[media:20170616091802400]Reyes, of Garfield, a psychology major, has performed hundreds of community service hours working with his local volunteer center.

“I experienced firsthand the impact community service has on improving the quality of life in communities by enriching and empowering its people with the tools needed to create change,” he said. “My involvement at the center motivated me to go back to school and pursue an education.”

He joins 273 peers from 39 states and Washington D.C. as well as past Bergen Fellows Tristan Anderson (2016), Derick Diaz (2015) and Margarita Valdez (2013).

Holding leadership roles with College organizations such as Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society of two-year colleges, and Bergen PRIDE, the school’s LGBT alliance, Reyes is also a member of the Judith K. Winn School of Honors and Psi Beta, the national honor society in psychology for community colleges.

Spearheading LGBT social issues to help cultivate belonging and contribute to the success of his student peers, Reyes’ campus efforts include assisting in the development of a “Safe Space Program” and a Transgender Day of Awareness.

“Adolescence and young adulthood can be a vulnerable time when you are trying to find yourself. We all need a sense of belonging in order to succeed in life.” Reyes said.

According to Campus Compact, Newman Civic Fellows represent model service-oriented students through understanding themselves, the root causes of social issues and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change. As a Fellow, Reyes will now have access to a variety of learning and networking opportunities including a national conference as well as access to exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu<http://www.bergen.edu/>), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls 15,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.